Computer or microchip protected from the internet by internal hardware

Abstract

This invention generally relates to one or more computer networks having computers like personal computers or network servers with microprocessors linked by broadband transmission means and having hardware, software, firmware, and other means such that at least one parallel processing operation occurs that involve at least two computers in the network. More particularly, this invention relates to one or more large networks composed of smaller networks and large numbers of computers connected, like the Internet, wherein more than one separate parallel processing operation involving more than one different set of computers occurs simultaneously and wherein ongoing processing linkages can be established between virtually any microprocessors of separate computers connected to the network. Still more particularly, this invention relates to business arrangements enabling the shared used of network microprocessors for parallel and other processing, wherein personal computer owners provide microprocessor processing power to a network, preferably for parallel processing, in exchange for network linkage to other personal and other computers supplied by network providers, including linkage to other microprocessors for parallel or other processing; the basis of the exchange between owners and providers being whatever terms to which the parties agree, subject to governing laws, regulations, or rules, including payment from either party to the other based on periodic measurement of net use or provision of processing power.

Description

[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 315,026, filed May 20, 1999, which receives the benefit of priority from provisional applications 60 / 134,552, filed May 17, 1999, 60 / 086,516, filed May 22, 1998, 60 / 086,588 filed May 22, 1998, 60 / 086,948, filed May 27, 1998, 60 / 087,587, filed Jun. 1, 1998, and 60 / 088,459, filed Jun. 8, 1998. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 315,026 is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 213,875, filed Dec. 17, 1998, which receives the benefit of priority of provisional application 60 / 068,366, filed Dec. 19, 1997, and which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08 / 980,058, filed Nov. 26, 1997, which receives the benefit of priority of provisional application 60 / 066,415, filed Nov. 24, 1997, provisional application 60 / 066,313, filed Nov. 21, 1997, provisional application 60 / 033,871, filed Dec. 20, 1996, provisional application 60 / 032,207 filed Dec. 2, 1996, and provision...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The patent text describes a solution to the problem of excessive idleness in personal computers by using the internet and other networks to create a parallel or massively parallel processing computer. This would involve using idle computers to build a network of computers that could be connected through optical fiber, allowing for high-speed data transmission. The solution would offer economic savings and potential performance improvements. The text also discusses the use of digital signal processor-type microprocessors and the potential to integrate these with conventional microprocessors or even supercomputers. Overall, the patent text presents a flexible and efficient way to utilize the power of idle computers for parallel processing."

Problems solved by technology

Despite these tremendous improvements anticipated in the future, the unfortunate present reality is that a typical personal computer (PC) is already so fast that its microprocessor is essentially idle during most of the time the PC is in actual use and that operating time itself is but a small fraction of those days the PC is even in any use at all.

The reality is that nearly all PC's are essentially idle during roughly all of their useful life.

Given the fact that the reliability of PC's is so exceptionally high now, with the mean time to failure of all components typically several hundred thousand hours or more, the huge idle time of PC's represents a total loss; given the high capital and operating costs of PC's, the economic loss is very high.

PC idle time does not in effect store a PC, saving it for future use, since the principle limiting factor to continued use of today's PC's is obsolescence, not equipment failure from use.

Moreover, there is growing concern that Moore's Law, which as noted above holds that the constant miniaturization of circuits results in a doubling of computing power every 18 months, cannot continue to hold true much longer.

Indeed, Moore's Law may now be nearing its limits for silicon-based devices, perhaps by as early as 2004, and no new technologies have yet emerged that currently seem with reasonable certainty to have the potential for development to a practical level by then, although many recent advances have the potential to maintain Moore's Law.

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